We use SkySpark, a software platform from SkyFoundry, to perform monitoring-based commissioning. In SkyFoundry's words, SkySpark is: "A Revolutionary New Technology for Transforming Smart Device Data Into Business Solutions."

​ The September 2016 issue of SkyFoundry Insider, their company newsletter, focuses on "how engineering firms are using SkySpark to deliver significant financial results and help owners and operators make energy and operational efficiency improvements permanent." Sieben Energy Associates is one of the specialty consultants featured in this issue. One of our recent monitoring-based commissioning project is described on pages 5 and 6. For this project, we were engaged by Transwestern, the building management company for 500 West Madison, formerly known as Citigroup Center Chicago

As we reported on July 11, one of our retro-commissioning projects was a finalist for the Michigan Governor's 2016 Energy Excellence Award in the "Best Projects – Commercial (Private)" building category. We had nominated Matt Roman and Visteon for the award.

The ceremony was a roaring success. The Odawa Casino Resort, owned by the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians in Petoskey, won the award in the commercial (private) category.

One of Sieben Energy Associates' recent retro-commissioning projects has been recognized as one of three finalists for the Michigan Governor's 2016 Energy Excellence Award.

During 2015, we worked closely with Matt Roman, Director of Global Facilities and Real Estate at Visteon, a leading global automotive supplier, to perform retro-commissioning of their Grace Lake Corporate Center headquarters in conjunction with DTE Energy's Retro-Commissioning Pilot Program. We nominated Matt and Visteon for this well-deserved award earlier this year. DTE Energy is the electric utility that serves Detroit and much of southeastern Michigan.

June saw the launch of the ninth year of ComEd's Smart Ideas for Your Business program of energy efficiency incentives for commercial and industrial customers. (ComEd is the electric utility that serves northern Illinois, including Chicago and its suburbs.) The utility's retro-commissioning program generated significant energy savings in the immediately preceding program year ending May 31, 2016. A total of 130 business customers of ComEd received more than $2.8 million in retro-commissioning service incentives over 12 months, yielding 260,000 megawatt-hours of energy reduction.

And the new program year underway in June is already bringing the benefits of the retro-commissioning incentive program to a host of new customers. For the current year, ComEd's goals include targeting energy savings of more than 280,000 megawatt-hours and distributing more than $3.44 million in service incentives. Service incentives are now available for ComEd customers whose buildings have as little as 100kW peak demand, with incentives of $10,000 to $100,000 available here.

​By June 1, owners or managers of essentially all buildings in Chicago larger than 50,000 square feet were required to submit their 2015 energy usage data to the City. This is the third year that some have had to report their data; for others, it is their first year of compliance. Back in September 2013, Chicago joined a handful of other U.S. cities when it became the latest to adopt a building energy benchmarking ordinance. Through the impact of the ordinance, the City of Chicago hopes "to raise awareness of energy performance through information and transparency, with the goal of unlocking energy and cost savings opportunities."

In December 2015, the City of Chicago made public the 2014 energy usage data and ENERGY STAR scores (for those buildings that can receive scores) for commercial and institutional buildings larger than 250,000 square feet. The spreadsheet, presenting data for 243 buildings (predominantly offices, hospitals, K-12 schools, and colleges/universities), can be downloaded from the City's Data Portal.